What is the Difference Between Synteny and Collinearity?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Synteny and collinearity are terms used in genomics to describe the organization of genes on chromosomes in different species. While they share similarities, there are key differences between the two concepts:
- Synteny refers to the physical co-localization of a set of genes on the same chromosome in different species. In other words, synteny describes the presence of genes on the same chromosome in different species, regardless of their order.
- Collinearity is a more specific form of synteny, where not only are the genes located on the same chromosome in different species, but they are also conserved in the same order. This means that the gene order is preserved across species, suggesting a shared ancestry.
In summary, synteny refers to the presence of genes on the same chromosome in different species, while collinearity specifically refers to the conservation of gene order across species. Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably in genomics, collinearity is a more specific form of synteny.
Comparative Table: Synteny vs Collinearity
Synteny and collinearity are two terms used in genomics to describe the organization of genes on chromosomes. Here is a table comparing the differences between the two:
| Feature | Synteny | Collinearity |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Synteny refers to the physical co-localization of a set of genes on the same chromosome in different species. | Collinearity refers to the physical co-localization of genetic loci on the same chromosome in different species, conserving the same order. |
| Specificity | Synteny is a broader term that describes the presence of a set of genes on the same chromosome in different species. | Collinearity is a more specific form of synteny, where the set of genes is co-localized in the same order among different species. |
| Conservation | In synteny, the conservation of gene order is not necessarily maintained. | In collinearity, the conservation of gene order is maintained. |
| Usage | Sometimes, the terms synteny and collinearity are used interchangeably in genomics. | The terms synteny and collinearity are more distinct and not used interchangeably. |
In summary, synteny and collinearity both describe the physical co-localization of genetic loci on the same chromosome in different species. However, collinearity is a more specific form of synteny, where the set of genes is co-localized in the same order among different species.
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- Synapse vs Synapsis
- Synapsis vs Crossing Over
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- Homoplasy vs Homology
- Linear vs Convergent Synthesis
- Combinatorial vs Parallel Synthesis
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- Orthogonal vs Orthonormal
- Paradigm vs Syntagm
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- Association vs Correlation
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